The time has come! Your car has served you well, through years of grueling commutes. You’ve done your oil changes, your transmission flushes, all your regular maintenance. You’ve even learned to change your own spark plugs, and in return your car has kept running like the well-oiled machine it is. The stains on the back seat tell a story of a hundred after-school practices; the odometer looks like one of those counters that shows the national debt. After all those miles, it’s finally time to say goodbye. But used car dealers aren’t interested, and you’re dealing with junkyards. Here are a few hints on dealing with the San Diego junkyard market:
If you live South of downtown, you’re in luck! Most junkyards are located in the Otay Mesa area of the city, so it’ll be a quick drive for you. There’s a cluster of junkyards near the intersection of Otay Mesa Road and Heritage Road. If you’re North of downtown or in the Northern suburbs, the pickings are slim. If you’re interested in something more than the local competition, have fun sitting in traffic on 805 just getting to Otay Mesa Road. It’s gonna be a long day.
So you either live South of downtown or you’re a masochist, and you’re considering a trip to the junkyard. What is your car worth? Look at parts that are easy to replace or fail frequently. Commonly purchased parts include used engines and used transmissions, as well as body parts such as doors, hoods, trunks, and fenders. These are all in high demand from junkyards, so your car will be worth more if these parts are in good condition. If your car was recently damaged or broke down, some of these common parts may be unusable, so the car may be worth less.
If you’re a math nut trying to add up the value of your parts, be careful – most junkyards sell at a steep discount, so the amount they pay for your car will be far less than the total value of the parts.
It depends. The value of scrap metal these days floats at about $150 a ton, so assume that $150 is the minimum value of a compact car and $300 is more reasonable for a larger vehicle like an SUV. These are junk rates, so you may get a bit more if the engine of your car or other parts are in high demand.
Particularly popular cars such as the Toyota Camry, Ford Focus and Honda Accord are usually worth more because their parts are in higher demand. Likewise, less popular cars will tend to be worth less because their parts are harder to sell. When in doubt, call around and get several quotes before making a decision. You only have one car to sell. Get the best price you can!
Recently, national buyers have been using the power of the internet to reach more and more local markets. These buyers have a larger business than local dealers, so they are not concerned about a vehicle’s age and condition. If you’re considering going to a junkyard, think about getting a quote from a website like Sellmax.com first to see what they’re offering.
Sellmax.com is currently looking to buy cars in San Diego, and they’ll even tow your car away. You can get a better price with Sellmax.com, and avoid traffic on 805.